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This invention relates to an item of footwear such as a slipper that is so constructed and treated for aleviating skin problems experienced by the sole and/or heel of the wearer""s foot. For this purpose, the slipper includes an interior pad which carries a therapeutic formulation for contact with the skin of the foot.
Many people suffer from cracked or otherwise irritated dry skin on their feet and other areas of the body. The elderly, persons with skin conditions, athletes and workers who have to spend much time on their feet are particularly susceptible to such problems. Currently, topical foot ailments are most commonly treated by applying various types of creams, oils, ointments or lotions to the sole and heel of the feet as needed. This is obviously a messy, tiresome and time consuming procedure. It also appears to be a treatment of short duration because the other cover has to be worn over the treated area so that no floor coverings of the floors themselves can be soiled.
Thereby, the ointments are quickly transferred to the other foot coverings. Older persons and those with physical limitations may have considerable difficulty reaching their feet to apply any therapeutic medications. Oftentimes, such individuals require the assistance of a caretaker or other person to apply the treatment.
Footwear, and more particularly a sock, carrying a therapeutic additive for treating the skin has been developed. See Gould, U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,119. This reference discloses a tube sock having a gelatinous elastomeric composition intimately bonded to an interior of the sock. Unfortunately, this results in a messy and impractical product.
This type of sock cannot be readily tread upon because the bonded gelatinous Addative tends to seep through the cloth sock material. It the wearer attempts to walk, he or she may slip on a tile, wood or vinyl floor surface. This product is likewise impractical to wear under a shoe, in a shoe or other footwear. By the same token, after a very limited period of use, the sock becomes quite soiled and essentially unusable. Cleaning the medicated sock is quite impractical because the medication would be washed out and the reference does not teach how the medication could be replenished.
It is therefore an object of the invention at hand to provide a therapeutic footwear product that effectively and efficiently applies a therapeutic composition to the wearer""s skin of the foot.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a therapeutic footwear product that automatically applies a therapeutic additive to the foot while the product is worn and which eliminates the need for the wearer to apply such an additive to his or her feet by hand or by employing the assistance of a caretaker or other person.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a therapeutic footwear product that is more efficient and practical to use than known products and which allows the wearer to walk safely on virtually all types of floor surfaces without slipping.
It is further object of this invention to provide a therapeutic footwear product that which, unlike known products avoids becoming prematurely soiled and unusable.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a therapeutic footwear product that is unlike known products, is efficiently disposable after a brief or limited use.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a therapeutic footwear product that effectively separates the therapeutic from the exterior body of the footwear so that problems of the prior art are avoided
It is a further object of this invention to provide a therapeutic footwear product that utilizes a much improved skid resistant bottom surface.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a therapeutic footwear product that is lightweight and quite comfortable and convenient to use.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a therapeutic footwear product that is very convinient to put on or take off.
It is further object of this invention to provide a therapeutic footwear product that is convenient to use both at home or in a hospital or other health care environment
It is a further object of this invention to provide a therapeutic footwear product that effectively treats dry, cracked or otherwise topically damaged skins on feet and, at the same time, retains warmth and moisture so that the skin on the foot is beneficially treated in a manner much improved over the prior art.
The invention at hand is the result of a realization that a greatly improved therapeutic footwear product may be achieved by forming an outer skid resistant foam footwear product in the form of a lightweight slipper and mounting within said product a distinct pad carrying a lubricating or medicating composition and separated from the slipper by a barrier that prevents the composition from penetrating to the exterior of the slipper. This keeps the slipper clean, improves friction and prevents potentially hazardous slips and falls.
This invention features a therapeutic footwear product for treating dry, cracked or otherwise damaged skins on feet. An outer slipper is provided for receiving the wearer""s foot and for covering at least the heel, sole and toes of the foot. An inside surface of the slipper carries a flexible film for directly engaging the skin of the wearer""s heel, sole and toes. The pad carries a therapeutic medium, that is, lubricating or medicating composition such that the pad directly engages the wearer""s skin of the foot. A liner is interposed between a bottom surface of the pad and an inner surface of the slipper.
In a preferred embodiment, the slipper is composed of a flexible foam. The pad may be composed of a synthetic fabric The therapeutic composition may comprise various constituents designed to provide therapy to hot, dry, cracked sore or otherwise irritated or chapped skins on feet. A preferred formulation includes melted bees wax that is mixed with olive oil, jojoba oil, aloe vera oil, tea tree oil and rosemary essential oils. Other essential oils that may be used to soothe various foot problems may include peppermint, tangerine oil, geranium; lemon, mandarin, myrrh, orange, ylang ylang, palmarose, frankencense, marjoram and rosewood. Lanolin oil, cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, shea butter, grape seed oil and vegetable oils may also be employed and used. Vitamins such vitamins E, C, and A may similarly be added to the formulation.
A removable film covering may be applied to the upper surface of the slipper. That is, the opening where the foot enters the slipper. This is important because it will lengthen the shelf life of the product considerably. This is so, because this way the formulation will not be exposed to the ambient air until it is used. This will help the shelf life even so the slipper or slippers are packaged in so-called shrink packages.
The slipper or slippers preferably comprise a very low cost and easy to manufacture foam. As a result, the footwear product may be readily disposable between uses. Due to the low cost nature of the product, acceptable efficiency is maintained.